mercoledì 26 settembre 2012

Born as Khedija Chafik, the Moroccan female artist nicknamed herself as Laila Al Maghribia, imitating the Alawis family, who use ‘Lella’ as a female honour title, and Mouley for males.Although was born in Marrakesh, she spent her life in France, where she joined the conservatory for four years. She learnt classic piano in parallel to her studies at the Higher Institute of Commerce, where she graduated from, as a Cosmetics expert.Laila Al Maghribia started her professional singing career in France, performing among a small group of young Moroccans. They altogether used to honour national and religious events in Paris.She also participated in the inauguration concert of Cairo’s international festival, in its fifth edition, which gave her the golden opportunity to introduce herself to the Egyptian Audienc.

Warda was born on July 22, 1939 in Puteaux, France, to a Lebanese mother and an Algerian father. She started singing at the age of eleven in 1951. She quickly became well known for her singing of patriotic Algerian songs. When she married in 1962, however, her husband forbade her to sing. In 1972, Algerian president Houari Boumédienne asked her to sing to commemorate Algeria's independence, and she performed with an Egyptian orchestra. As a result her marriage broke up, and she dedicated her life to music.

She then moved to Egypt, where she married the composer Baligh Hamdi. She performed many of his songs and those of other Arabic composers, quickly rising to fame and releasing several albums per year. Additionally, she has starred in a few films.

At the height of Panarabism, Gamal Abdel Nasser requested that Warda be given a part in a production by Mohammad Abd el wahhab entitled My Great Homeland (Watani Al-Akbar). The song was performed by the biggest stars at the time including Abdel Halim Hafez, Shadia, Sabah, Nagat Al-Saghira and Faida Kamel. The song denounced Colonialism and urged for a united Arab People to defeat foreign occupation (see Partitioning of the Ottoman Empire). Warda died on 17 May 2012, in Cairo, Egypt, after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was 72 years old. On 19 May, her body was flown back to Algeria where she was given a state funeral, and was buried in Algiers' El Alia cemetery, which is reserved for national heroes.

Le Trio Joubran is a Palestinian oud trio, consisting of the brothers Samir, Wissam, and Adnan Joubran from the city of Nazareth. The Joubran brothers come from a well-known family with a rich artistic heritage. Their mother, Ibtisam Hanna Joubran, sang the Muwashshahat (poems that originated in Arab Spain) while their father is among the most renowned stringed-instrument makers in Palestine and in the Arab world .

The story of the Joubran Trio's creation can be traced back some ten years.Samir, the eldest, started his solo career with his first two albums, Taqaseem (1996) and Sou'fahm (2001).For his third album, Tamaas, Samir invited his younger brother Wissam to join him on his musical adventure. Randana, which came out in 2005, is the trio's very first album.Adnan, the youngest, had joined in with his older brothers to form the first and only oud' trio known of to this date. With their skillful, heart-wrenching improvisations that tell of Palestine, the trio brings to bear harmony and sweetness, depth and joy. On the stage, as their eyes meet, their instruments join together to express that which the spoken word cannot.The trio's repertory, made up of original creations and magnificent improvisations, takes root in their knowledge of the imposing culture of traditional maqâms and their subtle interpretations. The group was the big revelation at Langon's Atypical Nights (Nuits Atypiques) festival, nomitated for the 2004 Django dOr awards, selected at the Womex 2004 and the Strictly Mundial 2005, the trio has been living a musical adventure that is taking it all over the world : the trio played before thousands at the Festival of Nyon, was welcomed at Carnegie Hall in February 2006, and recently played at the Jerusalem festival (August 2007).Nouvel album : Majâz

Majâz is the Joubran Trio's second opus, for which the trio brought in percussionist Yousef Hbeisch. A new international tour, made all the richer for his artistic contribution, is at the heart of their programme for the 2007-2008 season. This new album reveals the maturity of a trio that took flight with Randana, and whose Majâz is an invitation to travel.SAMIR

Samir was born in Nazareth, in 1973, in the Galilee. At five, his father introduces him to the oud. The encounter between boy and instrument is more like the passionate encounter of two lovers. At nine, Samir enters the Nazareth Institute of Music. In 1995 he graduates from the highly prestigious Muhammad Abdul Wahhab Conservatory of Cairo. His musical talents are recognized in the musical workshops and seminars he attends in various arabic and European countries, leading him to teach the oud in a large number of schools and institutes.

The Joubran family adventure begins with Samir, an innovative soloist. Their first album, Taqaseem, comes out in 1996, followed by Sou'fahm in 2001. His first album under the Daqui label (the label of the Atypical Nights in Langon), Tamaas, appears in 2002. His run of performances in European and Middle Eastern venues begins. At the time, Samir is the only Palestinian performing outside the borders of his country. He is also the first musician to be awarded, in 2003-2004, a two-year scholarship to Italy through the Writer's Asylum Program which is organized by the International Parliament of Writers.

His musical virtuosity receives universal acclaim, and he is quickly invited to play with numerous other artists, in particular with great poets of the likes of Mahmoud Darwish. Music allies itself with the spoken word to bring to life poetry where melancholy and passion are inextricably mixed.

Samir Joubran's musical talent is acknowledged by the movie world when he composes the original sound track for Rashir Masharawi's Ticket to Jerusalem. He is then contacted by director François Dupeyron. Three tracks from the album Tamaas are included in the sound track of Inguélézi. Three titles from Randana are used in Parvez Sharmas' documentary A jihad for love (coming out this year).

After Randana, the first album to bring together all three Joubran brothers, their new opus, Majâz, will come out this fall. With Palesine beating in his heart, driven by his desire to give voice to his oud, Samir Joubran will travel the world with his brothers.

"We have two battles to fight. The first is for our career, and the other is for peace in Palestine, and the end of the occupation."

WSSAM

Wissam was born in 1983, in Nazareth, in the Galilee. His father signs him up for violin lessons at the Nazareth conservatory. He becomes attracted to the oud after watching and listening to his brother Samir play it. He establishes an intimate connection with the oud, with its wholesome curves, its round belly. Seeing how he merges with the instrument, Hatem, his father, hand crafts and gives him a small oud for his ninth birthday.

Wissam starts out by performing local concerts in Palestine. He then turns toward the theater, where he plays the role of a singing oud player in a piece about the life of Moudaffar El Nawab. When he is twelve, he seizes the opportunity to take his dreams and talent all the way to Paris' Arab World Institute, where he shares the stage with his brother Samir.

In 2002, again at his brother's side, Wissam performs musical interludes at readings of Mahmoud Darwish' poetry. Then, with the album Tamaas, Wissam's international career takes off. He decides to bring is musical culture and experience fully to bear in his relationship with the oud; thus, in 2005, he is the first arab to graduate from the prestigious Antonio Stradivari Conservatory, in Cremona. Wissam, like his father before him, continues in the line of his ancestors and becomes a master luthier. He builds the Joubran Trio's three ouds with his own hands, tailoring each one so that, when they are played, oud and player are one.

Master luthier, oud player, and firm believer in the symbiosis of traditional arabic music and the modernity of the oud, Wissam Joubran is carrying his family legacy steadfastly into the future.

ADNAN

Adnan was born in the Galilee, in Nazareth, in 1985. The life story of the youngest of the brothers is unique. Since childhood, he had wanted to become a percussionist. Yet, he would soon hearken to the oud's call. His desire to play it becomes stronger at the age of fifteen. For two years, alone and with the help of his older brothers, Adnan learns to play this instrument. Immediately upon coming home from school, he would pick up Wissam's oud and, playing Samir's melodies, send his fingers flying along the trail left by his brother. Hatem, their father, encourages him to take part in oud playing contests, and he is one of the five winners of a contest held in Palestine. The first audience Adnan would play to are his father's clients.

Returning from a tour, Samir brings up the possibility of forming a trio. This possibility becomes the object of Adnan's striving, and during the next year he would work with passion and discipline. It is thus that, in Paris' Luxembourg garden in August 2004, the Joubran Trio would come to life.

Alongside his brother Samir, Adnan provides musical accompaniment for the Fattoumi-Lamoureux dance company. In addition to his career within the Trio, Adnan will also perform for Parisian audiences a piece that combines music and the circus called EKO DU OUD (the oud's echo).

martedì 25 settembre 2012

Hiba Michel Tawaji (Arabic: هبة ميشال طوجي‎) was born on December 10, 1987, in Achrafieh - Beirut, and grew up in the Elissar - Matn District. Tawaji is a Lebanese singer, actress, and director. She sings in Arabic, English and French. Tawaji interprets different music styles such as Oriental music, pop music, jazz, funk, and opera, as well as being a coloratura soprano with a four octave vocal range. Tawaji has admired Oussama Rahbani (producer and composer and son of Mansour Rahbani) from a very young age, and always dreamt of meeting and working with him. That dream came true in January 2007 when she met Oussama and started a successful career alongside him.From 1990 and until 2005, Tawaji studied in Athenee de Beyrouth School, and got her French Baccalaureate in French literature.From 2002 until 2005, she took singing lessons and solfeggio at École De Musique Ghassan Yammine. Then she went to Saint Joseph University of Beirut, IESAV, and majored in audio-visual and cinematographic studies, earning her B.A. in 2010.She also took for many years private opera lessons with Galina Khaldeeva.From 2007 and to the present day, she has been developing vocal techniques and interpretation with Lebanese producer and composer Oussama Rahbani. As well as taking vocal lessons with Lebanese singer and vocal coach Wadih Abi Raad.From May 2010 and until July 2010, she took vocal lessons with Emmy Award winner Gwen Conley in New York. In that same period, she followed a three-month intensive acting workshop at theStella Adler Studio of Acting in New York.

martedì 18 settembre 2012

Palestinian emcee and music producer Asifeh aka Stormtrap recently released his latest project Iradeh (translation “Will”), a seven track EP dedicated to his personal struggle and life under the ongoing occupation.

Asifeh collaborates with fellow artists Aras Seyhan,Willi Rosner, Sloth Pallas, Kolonel Bleep, and TAKiMiwhich all makes this entire tracklist quite impressive! Not only does it step away from the usual Middle-Eastern samples we hear in Arab hip-hop, but instead presents us with a sick mix of electronic and hip-hop beats. Asifeh keeps it fresh by successfully drawing our attention with the right musical fusion, all backed up by lyrics (performed in Arabic) about resistance, revolution, and political injustice.

You may recognize Asifeh’s bold and unique style from his work with one of the original Arab hip-hop crews Ramallah Underground, which he also co-founded. Whether apart of RU or as a solo artist, Asifeh remains focused on using music as a tool for unity and resistance.

In fact, Asifeh showed his support to the political prisoners in Palestine last week by releasing the track Ma ra7 a3affen (I Will Not Rot).

Within the EP Iradeh, Asifeh covers all types of issues from tracks like Su’Tafahum (Misunderstanding) which calls out on the people who mistreat each other instead of uniting since they are all dealing with the same harsh realities. My favorite track Kilmeh Wahdeh (One Word) takes a different approach and busts out with a classic battle where Asifeh lyrically kills any emcee that gets in his way. Finally, the self-titled track Iradeh hits it hard with lyrics about colonization and continued injustice. Here’s a quick sample of the chorus:

Time has come, for me to choose and determine my future for myselfTime has come, for me to remove all the ropes and chains from myselfTime has come, to get rid of the occupationTime has come, to get rid of colonization

Coming to conquer all the landsTell me what is stronger, technology or determination?

sabato 15 settembre 2012

Toufic Farroukh is a Lebanese saxophone player and composer of jazz with a middle-eastern flavour stemming from his bi-cultural roots in Lebanon and France.

His brother, a saxophone player, guided him in learning to play the instrument and taught him its ABCs. He was an amateur who instilled in Toufic the love of professionalism. They had discovered the saxophone in the Boy Scouts. The instrument was strange to their environment; unconventional, and used only for certain occasions.

Farroukh moved from Beirut to Paris, where he studied music in the conservatory and in the Advanced College of Music, saxophone was his principal instrument. He did not study jazz and its roots at all, nor played jazz on the saxophone.

His first album “Ali on Broadway” (1994), received good press from the specialist magazines , but only touched the French public in small measure. In his second album “Little Secrets” (1998), the flavour and colour of the Orient make their appearance here and there, in amongst the jazz motifs.

(Source : Wikipedia)

Ali On Broadway

01. Like Desire02. Tagada Dance03. Streets and Faces04. Hand Made05. Another Day06. Open the Door07. For Once08. 549 Blues09. Like Desire [Moonfish Remix]